Hina Khan (Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hain) Is Fighting Stage 3 Breast Cancer: A Guide to Treatment and Understanding Advanced Stages

Hina Khan, a TV star, recently announced that she had been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She quickly became a symbol of strength and resilience when she decided to confront her condition head-on by documenting her journey publicly and raising awareness about it.

Despite such a diagnosis, Hina hasn’t stopped living her life and continues to carry on. She recently tied the knot with her long-time partner, Rocky Jaiswal, whom she considers her biggest pillar of strength during this tough journey.

Her story has sparked an important national conversation about how later-stage cancer is linked with a “nothing can be done now” mindset, and more focus is put on the earlier stages. But the question remains: what happens when someone is diagnosed with stage 3 or stage 4 cancer?

This article will help you understand more about the later stages of breast cancer, symptoms, treatment options, and the importance of modern medical care.

The classification system for breast cancer stages is divided into 0-4. This implies that there are five primary stages in total, which include Stage 0, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and Stage 4. It is a common myth that there is a so-called fifth stage of breast cancer.

The last stage of cancer in the current medical system is stage 4. Learning about the stages is essential not only to patients but also to their families, as it is directly related to the course of treatment required and prognosis.

Stage 3 breast cancer is considered “locally advanced” breast cancer. This means that the cancer has not yet spread to distant body parts, but may lead to a bigger tumour in the breast and relocation to some neighbouring lymph nodes.

These lymph nodes are located under the arm (axillary), beneath the collarbone (supraclavicular), and behind the breastbone (internal mammary).

Stage 3 breast cancer in some patients can also be characterised by the presence of a tumour that has spread to the skin of the breast or the chest wall, which may cause swelling or form an ulcer.

Symptoms

In stage 3 of breast cancer, the symptoms tend to be more severe than in the earlier stages. Women may experience a prominent lump or swelling on the breast or under the arm.

Additional symptoms include change in the size or shape of the breast, pitting of the skin, like the skin of an orange peel, nipple inversion, occasional redness or swelling of a whole breast; this last type is typical of inflammatory breast cancer, a very advanced and rare form of Stage 3 breast cancer.

Treatment

The treatment for stage 3 breast cancer management involves a combination of several therapies. It usually starts with chemotherapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy), where the size of the tumour is reduced before removing it surgically.

This is followed by a mastectomy, where the whole breast is removed due to the spread of the cancer. Radiation therapy is, almost always, suggested after the surgery to destroy any residual cancer cells in the breast and the nearby lymph nodes as well.

Hormone therapy or targeted therapy is also done according to the specific type of cancer (e.g., hormone receptor positive, HER2-positive) to prevent relapse.

And finally, the big question:

Can stage 3 breast cancer be cured?

The answer to this question is a definite yes. The treatment is intensive and demanding, but it's curable overall. Stage 3 of breast cancer has a survival rate of approximately 87% during the first five years of diagnosis.

The high survival rate offers hope that a positive outcome is highly possible with comprehensive and timely medical attention.

At the fourth stage, the cancer becomes metastatic, which indicates that it has started spreading to other parts of the body. Bones, lungs, liver, and brain are the most often affected in this final stage of breast cancer.

Symptoms

The symptoms in this stage are highly variable depending on where and how fast the cancer cells are spreading. If it has spread to the bones, patients may experience pain, tenderness, or even a fractured bone.

The spread of the cancer to the lungs can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, or a chronic cough. In case of cancer cells spreading to the liver, symptoms such as jaundice, a painful stomach, nausea, or the loss of appetite can be seen.

In case of brain involvement, people may be tormented by frequent headaches, changes in vision, seizures, dizziness, or balance issues.

Treatment

Treatment is usually systemic for this stage as the cancer is targeted throughout the body. This involves several types of therapy, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy (in cases of hormone-receptor-positive cancer), targeted therapy (which targets specific characteristics of the cancerous cells), and immunotherapy (strengthening the body's immune system to combat cancer).

Palliative radiation or surgery is conducted to alleviate any pain symptoms where the cancer has spread.

The most challenging question during this stage is whether breast cancer is curable at stage 4. At the moment, Stage 4 breast cancer is not considered curable; however, it is treatable.

The five-year survival rate for stage 4 breast cancer is approximately 30%. Although this figure may seem overwhelming, it is essential to note that it represents an average, and individual results may vary.

The focus is more on controlling the spread of the cancer, management of symptoms to alleviate any discomfort, and living a quality life until death.

Hina Khan has set an example for millions of people and her fans by battling stage 3 breast cancer with persistence, resilience, and trust in her medical team. Her optimism and unwavering dedication to her treatment should be appreciated and emulated by anyone going through a tough time.

Stage 3 or Stage 4 diagnosis is definitely not the final stop. It is the start of a battle that is no longer as unbeatable as it once was. The field of cancer treatment is continually evolving, providing both hope and the prolongation of life expectancies.

However, it is imperative that, if they are experiencing any symptoms, people should not postpone a medical consultation. Even at such later stages, early diagnosis can have a significant impact on the possibilities of treatment and prognosis. Quick response is the key in the battle with advanced breast cancer.

Although advanced breast cancer is serious, it can be managed as a chronic condition instead of something that is considered a final nail in the coffin.

Take care of your health, get regular screenings, encourage those who are going through this tough time, and be inspired by the fantastic strength of well-known figures like Hina Khan and the millions of women who struggle with the condition daily.

The only way people and their loved ones can move forward is with the hope that “this too shall pass”.